Welcome!
This is a blog showcasing flower photography. I always enjoy photographing blooms, as do many other photographers!

The rules for posting are simple!

1. Every Friday post a photo that includes one or more flowers.2. Please only post photos you have authority to use.3. Include a link to this blog in your post - http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com/4. Leave the link to your FloralFridayFoto post below on inlinkz.5. Visit other blogs listed ... comment & enjoy!

When to Post:inlinkz will be available every Thursday and will remain open until the next Wednesday.

Thursday, 29 December 2016

Bred by Joseph Orard prior to 1998 and introduced to Australia in 2009 is Rosa 'Firefighter', a glorious rose with tall single stems of the most highly fragrant dark red rose which is suitable to work with in floral art and yet easy to grow in the open garden will be a joy to all rose gardeners. An added bonus is that it has few thorns.The name of this rose, 'Firefighter' honours the work our firefighters do here in Australia and as it states on the plant label: “This rose is so named as to remember those men and women who risk their lives daily to protect ours”.The generally sunny, dry and hot conditions of the Australian garden are particularly well suited to planting roses and roses flourish in our gardens when you take measures to provide the following:1) Watering: Roses are very deep rooted plants and require one good, deep soaking at least every 10 days in hot and dry conditions;2) Feeding: Because roses flower throughout all but the Winter season, they should be regularly fertilised with quality (preferably organic) fertiliser which contains a balance of major nutrients (NPK) and trace elements. The fertiliser should be applied at least once a month – small amount often – with fortnightly applications of liquid seaweed over the foliage.3) Pruning: During Winter, 70% of the rose plant should be pruned and all old wood removed back to the crown and the bush pruned to shape. During the flowering seasons, 25% of all flowering stems should be cut back after flowering to encourage strong re-growth.4) Mulching: Particular attention to application of lucerne or pea straw directly around the root-zone of each rose will enhance the overall health of the rose and then the whole bed should be mulched to 75mm with any other mulch medium available.

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Thursday, 22 December 2016

Blandfordia grandiflora is a species of flowering plant in the native to south-eastern Australia. B. grandiflora is commonly known as the Large Christmas Bell because it generally flowers in December and January. It is a perennial herb, and has tubular, bell-shaped flowers. It is one of only four Blandfordia species. The name Blandfordia honours the Marquis of Blandford and the name grandiflora means "large flowered". It is one of the four species of Blandfordia,B. grandiflora is considered the most robust, so the name grandiflora suits the plant. At one time, B. grandiflora went by the name B. flammea. Although Blandfordia grandiflora is only native to Australia, in the nineteenth century, many botanists grew it in Great Britain because it can easily be grown as a potted plant. B. grandiflora grows well in sandy soils. The wet coastal heaths of Australia, such as, New South Wales and Queensland have the sandy soil necessary for B. grandiflora to grow.In order for B. grandiflora to grow, the soil should be light and well-drained and the plant should not be in direct sunlight or in heavy shade. B. grandiflora is a very slow growing plant, so more aggressive plants easily swamp it in the wild.

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Thursday, 15 December 2016

Myrtus, with the common
name myrtle, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, described by Linnaeus in 1753. The Myrtus genus has two species recognised today: Myrtus communis, common myrtle; native to the Mediterranean region
in southern Europe and Myrtus nivellei,
Saharan myrtle; native to North Africa.Myrtus communis, the
common myrtle or true myrtle, is native across the northern Mediterranean
region (especially in the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, where it is locally
known by the name of murta). The
plant is an evergreen shrub or small tree, growing to 5 metres tall. The leaf
is entire, 3–5 cm long, with a fragrant essential oil. The star-like flower has
five petals and sepals, and numerous stamens. Petals usually are white. The
flower is pollinated by insects. The fruit is a round berry containing several
seeds, most commonly blue-black in colour. A variety with yellow-amber berries
is also present. The seeds are dispersed by birds that eat the berries.Myrtle, is used
in the islands of Sardinia and Corsica to produce an aromatic liqueur called Mirto
by macerating it in alcohol. Mirto is one of the most typical drinks of
Sardinia and comes in two varieties: mirto rosso (red) produced by macerating
the berries, and mirto bianco (white) produced from the less common yellow berries
and sometimes the leaves. Many Mediterranean pork dishes include Myrtle berries,
and roast baby pig is often stuffed with myrtle sprigs in the belly cavity, to
impart an aromatic flavour to the meat. The berries, whole or ground, have been
used as a pepper substitute. They contribute to the distinctive flavour of mortadella
sausage and the related American bologna sausage. In Calabria, dried figs are
threaded through a myrtle branch and then baked. The figs acquire a pleasant
taste from the essential oils of the herb. They are then enjoyed through the
winter months.Myrtle occupies
a prominent place in the writings of Hippocrates, Pliny, Dioscorides, Galen,
and the Arabian writers on medicine. In several countries, particularly in
Europe and China, there has been a tradition for prescribing this substance for
sinus infections. A systematic review of herbal medicines used for the
treatment of rhinosinusitis concluded that the evidence that any herbal
medicines are beneficial in the treatment of rhinosinusitis is limited, and
that for Myrtus there is insufficient
data to verify the significance of clinical results.In Greek
mythology and ritual the myrtle was sacred to the goddesses Aphrodite and
Demeter: Artemidorus asserts that in interpreting dreams “a myrtle garland
signifies the same as an olive garland, except that it is especially auspicious
for farmers because of Demeter and for women because of Aphrodite. For the
plant is sacred to both goddesses.” Pausanias explains that one of the Graces
in the sanctuary at Elis holds a myrtle branch because “the rose and the myrtle
are sacred to Aphrodite and connected with the story of Adonis, while the
Graces are of all deities the nearest related to Aphrodite.” Myrtle is the
garland of Iacchus, according to Aristophanes, and of the victors at the Theban
Iolaea, held in honour of the Theban hero Iolaus.

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Thursday, 8 December 2016

Pieris rapae, the small white, is a small- to medium-sized butterfly species of the whites-and-yellows family Pieridae. It is also known as the small cabbage white and in New Zealand, simply as white butterfly. The names "cabbage butterfly" and "cabbage white" can also refer to the large white. The butterfly can be distinguished by the white colour with small black dots on its wings. They are distinguished from the smaller size and lack of the black band at the tip of their forewings.It is widespread and populations are found across Europe, North Africa, Asia, South America, and Great Britain. It has also been accidentally introduced to North America, Australia and New Zealand. The caterpillar of this species is seen as a pest for commercial agriculture. Often referred to as the "imported cabbageworm" they are a serious pest to cabbage and other mustard family crops.The pink rose is a nameless variety that is in our neighbour's garden and is bushy, a prolific bloomer and can become rather messy with spent flowers, requiring generous deadheading. Nevertheless, it can be quite pretty when blooming with masses of small semi-double blossoms.

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Thursday, 1 December 2016

Rotheca is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. Estimates of the number of species in the genus vary from about 35 to as many as 60. Three of the species are native to tropical Asia, with the rest occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa. The type species for the genus is Rotheca serrata. It had originally been named Rotheca ternifolia, but this name is now considered illegitimate.Rotheca myricoides (blue butterfly bush) is native to tropical East Africa and is cultivated as an ornamental throughout the tropics. Rotheca serrata is from tropical Asia and has some medicinal use there. In the 20th century, Rotheca was rarely recognised as separate from Clerodendrum. Rotheca was revived in 1998 as a result of phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences. It can easily be distinguished from Clerodendrum by a combination of morphological characters.Rotheca myricoides (also known by its older name Clerodendrum ugadense) is more commonly referred to as the blue butterfly bush. It is called this because of the shape of its flowers. In the early summer, it produces beautiful light blue and lavender flowers that bloom into a shape that resembles a butterfly. It is an evergreen shrub that gets up to 3 metres tall and just as wide. It is native to Kenya and Uganda in East Africa. It enjoys partial shade and requires regular watering.

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Thursday, 24 November 2016

Impatiens niamniamensis, common name Congo cockatoo or Parrot Impatiens, is a species of flowering plant in the family Balsaminaceae. It comes from tropical Africa and can be found from Cameroon through central and East Africa, up to Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Angola. It grows in moist and shaded bushlands, at an elevation of 350–2,400 metres above sea level.

Impatiens niamniamensis grows about 60–90 centimetres long. This evergreen, perennial species has an erect, succulent, brown stem resembling wood. Leaves are simple, ovate-oblong or elliptical, spirally arranged, about 10 cm long. This plant produces bright and colourful bird-shaped flowers (hence the common name Congo cockatoo) with a long, curled nectar spur. These unusual flowers are usually scarlet red and yellow and can reach a length of about 3.5 centimetres. Fruits are explosive capsules of about 14–16 mm.

These plants can tolerate temperatures as low as about 2˚C, but they won’t survive even a light frost. Temperatures of 7˚C and above are ideal for this tender perennial. It prefers a location in full shade, especially if you live in a warm, sunny climate. Although the plant will grow in partial sunlight in a cool climate, it won’t tolerate bright sunlight or hot summers. The plant performs best in rich soil, so dig in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure before planting. Water the plant regularly to keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy. As a general rule, one weekly watering is sufficient unless the weather is hot, but always water immediately if the foliage begins to look wilted.

A layer of bark chips or other organic mulch keeps the roots moist and cool. Pinch the growing tips of newly planted to encourage full, bushy growth. Cut the plant back by about 10-15 cm if it begins to look tired and leggy in midsummer. Fertilise the plant twice during the growing season, using a general purpose liquid or dry fertiliser. Don’t overfeed because too much fertiliser creates a full, bushy plant at the expense of blooms. Always water immediately because fertiliser may scorch the roots.

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Thursday, 17 November 2016

Pimelea ferruginea is a small shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae native to southwest Western Australia. It was described by Labillardiere in 1805. Shown here is the hybrid Pimelea 'White Solitaire', which has beautiful balls of snow white flowers that contrast nicely with the small, glossy dark green leaves. It is a lovely compact shrub.This makes a wonderful dwarf feature shrub for the front of a sunny garden bed or in a pot or rockery situation. Trim back behind the spent flower heads at the end of spring. Good in sun or part shade, and does best in well drained soil types. Feed with a good low phosphorus plant food in spring.

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Thursday, 10 November 2016

Geum commonly called avens, is a genus of about 50 species of rhizomatous perennial herbaceous plants in the Rosaceae family, widespread across Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa, and New Zealand. They are closely related to Potentilla and Fragaria.From a basal rosette of leaves, they produce flowers on wiry stalks, in shades of white, red, yellow, and orange, in midsummer. Geum species are evergreen except where winter temperatures drop below −18 °C. Geum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the grizzled skipper.The cultivars 'Lady Stratheden' (shown here), and 'Mrs J. Bradshaw' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.The semi-double blooms of 'Lady Stratheden' are golden yellow, saucer-shaped and like magnets to bees. This hybrid of the Chilean native, Geum chiloense, is easily grown from seed and offers an airy, old-fashioned look to the summer garden. Throughout the year, this hardy, clump-forming perennial offers a low mound of fuzzy scalloped leaves. The foliage is evergreen in all but the coldest of winters.The flowers are large, semi-double and rise from tall, well-branched, wiry stems. They first appear in late Spring, and if well cared for and deadheaded they will continue to bloom sporadically into Autumn. The blooms are followed by attractive fluffy seed heads. Avens grows best in full sun or partial sun with some afternoon shade. It manages well in average garden loam with ample drainage.Plants can be short-lived if subjected to cold, wet soil conditions in Winter. Healthy clumps should be divided every three to four years. Popular and easy to grow, 'Lady Stratheden' is grown for its lovely, old-fashioned blooms, so it is a great candidate for cottage gardens or any informal perennials border. Its flowers also compliment garden fresh flower arrangements.

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Thursday, 3 November 2016

This has been a very busy week and I am sorry I have not visited your blogs to see your contributions for last week's Floral Fridays. You all know that I always appreciate your photos and news from your part of the world. At least today I was able to grab the camera and rush out at lunchtime to take some photos in the garden and in the park across the road. We've had a glorious Spring day today and the flowers looked their best.Callistemon species in the family Myrtaceae have commonly been referred to as bottlebrushes because of their cylindrical, brush like flowers resembling a traditional bottle brush. They are mostly found in the more temperate regions of Australia, especially along the east coast and typically favour moist conditions so when planted in gardens thrive on regular watering. However, two species are found in Tasmania and several others in the south-west of Western Australia. At least some species are drought-resistant and some are used in ornamental landscaping elsewhere in the world. This red bottlebrush is a common garden and street tree in Melbourne.The rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) is a species of parrot found in Australia. It is common along the eastern seaboard, from northern Queensland to South Australia and Tasmania. Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush and woodland areas. Several taxa traditionally listed as subspecies of the rainbow lorikeet are now treated as separate species Rainbow lorikeets have been introduced to Perth, Western Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; and Hong Kong.

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Thursday, 27 October 2016

Solanum is the type genus of the family Solanaceae, which contains such well-known economic plants as the potato, tomato, tobacco, egg plant (aubergine) and many more. In Australia there are 117 species, of which 87 are endemic. Solanum laciniatumor Kangaroo Apple, a common name shared with the closely related S. aviculare, occurs in temperate regions of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and associated islands on a range of soil types. It forms a large shrub 4 m high by 5 m wide.Solanum laciniatum produces two types of foliage: Large lance-shaped or irregularly lobed juvenile leaves 300 mm long by 250 mm wide and smaller generally entire lance-shaped adult leaves 150 mm long by about 30-50 mm wide. Both types of leaf are a rich dark green on the upper surface, and a lighter green underneath, with conspicuous veins. They are held on dark green succulent stems, which turn black, then a rough light-brown, with age.The five-petalled flowers are 30-50 mm across, bluish-purple, with bright yellow anthers. The flowers appear spasmodically in spring and summer in clusters of 3-5 in the leaf axils. The egg-shaped berries, 20-30 mm long, begin green and small when unripe and then become a bright orange-yellow with a warty appearance when ripe. The berries are poisonous while green, but edible once orange (then called the 'bush tomato'). The plant is also used as a rootstock for grafting eggplant.Solanum laciniatum has been cultivated at the Australian National Botanic Gardens since 1969, with no frost damage or major pest or disease problems apparent. As a fast-growing species, hardy in most soil types and conditions, except salt spray, S. laciniatum is ideally suited as a screen plant, in the understorey of a wind break, or for bank and erosion stabilisation. It has also been used in soils with a high concentration of heavy metals when reclaiming mine wastes. For the home gardener S. laciniatum is ideal as a quick growing screen plant, while slower shrubs are establishing.Since the mid 1960s S. laciniatum and S. aviculare have been cultivated and studied in the USSR, NZ, India, Egypt and other countries. The plants, and in particular the young foliage and green berries, contain a series of steroids (including the toxic alkaloid solasodine), which are of commercial value as raw material for the manufacture of contraceptives.

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Thursday, 20 October 2016

Drosanthemum ("dewflowers") is a genus of succulent plants in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae, native to the winter-rainfall regions of southern Africa. Most species bear colorful flowers. The name Drosanthemum means "Dew-flower" in Greek, and refers to the characteristic shiny translucent papillae, which cover the succulent leaves and flower buds.The species shown here is Drosanthemum hispidum (Linn.). It is a succulent, mound-forming perennial, 60 cm tall, 90 cm wide, leaves up to 2.5 cm long. These leaves and the stems are covered with papillae looking like dew drops or glassy beads, glittering in the sun, hence the common name. Flowers are profuse and a rich purple or lavender. Blooming in summer, this plant forms a dazzling mound of colour for the well-drained garden.The plant requires full sun and regular watering in summer. It should be kept rather dry in winter, and it does better with good drainage. It is a salt resistant plant.

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Thursday, 13 October 2016

Chamaelaucium uncinatum, Geraldton wax, is a flowering plant endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub 0.5 to 4m high, bearing white or pink flowers June–November. The name uncinatum means "hooked" in Latin, in reference to the tips of the leaves. The flowers (somewhat resembling those of the tea tree) last a relatively long time after cutting, making the plant popular in horticulture. It is widely cultivated throughout Australia, both in home gardens and in the cut flower industry. Purple-flowering cultivars have been developed.Geraldton Wax is relatively hardy and fairly easy to grow in a Mediterranean climate with well-drained sandy soil and a sunny aspect. It can be grown in areas of higher humidity, such as Sydney, but tends to be short lived. It is also good in pots. It has the tendency to 'fall over' and may need support. It is very drought-tolerant and has aromatic leaves. The hardy characteristics have led to its use as a root stock species for grafting species of the closely related featherflowers of genus Verticordia.Many varieties are commercially available, named both for colour and for early/late flowering times. In the wild, Geraldton wax is most commonly white with varying tinges of mauve. The deeper purple forms are selected varieties propagated commercially: Chamelaucium "Early Purple" Chamelaucium "Purple Pride", etc.

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Thursday, 6 October 2016

Dianella caerulea, commonly known as the blue flax-lily, blueberry lily, or paroo lily, is a perennial herb of the family Asphodelaceae, subfamily Hemerocallidoideae, found across the eastern states of Australia and Tasmania. It is a herbaceous strappy perennial plant to a metre high, with dark green blade-like leaves to 70 cm long. Blue flowers in spring and summer are followed by indigo-coloured berries. It adapts readily to cultivation and is commonly seen in Australian gardens and amenities plantings.

Dianella caerulea is a strappy herbaceous fruit bearing plant to about 1 metre high, with a thick spreading rhizome under the ground. The bright green leaves have straight or toothed margins, and may reach 75 cm in length and 0.3-2.5 cm wide. The small (1-1.6 cm diameter) flowers bloom in spring and summer (August to January); the perianth is pale to a dark blue, or green-blue, and the anthers at the centre are yellowy brown. These are followed by small roughly spherical indigo-coloured berries which range from about 0.7 to 1.2 cm in diameter. These fruit are edible.The plant is distributed through a range in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, and Queensland. It occurs in a wide range of habitats, from coastal heathland and even sand dunes.Believed to have been first propagated in England in 1783, Dianella caerulea is commonly cultivated in gardens, and is sometimes seen as a low-hedging plant in public spaces and amenities plantings. It is very hardy and long-lived, and suitable for rockeries. It is tolerant of poor drainage and responds well to extra moisture.Plants attract fruit-eating birds and butterflies in garden settings. The smaller denser forms in particular have potential for small gardens. Dianella caerulea is a very hardy (snow and frost hardy) and long-lived plant once established. It can tolerate damp conditions but prefers moist well drained soil. It adapts readily to cultivation.

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Thursday, 29 September 2016

Narcissus is a genus of predominantly spring perennial plants in the Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis) family. Various common names including daffodil, daffadowndilly, narcissus, and jonquil are used to describe all or some members of the genus. Narcissus has conspicuous flowers with six petal-like tepals surmounted by a cup- or trumpet-shaped corona. The flowers are generally white or yellow (orange or pink in garden varieties), with either uniform or contrasting coloured tepals and corona.

Narcissus were well known in ancient civilisation, both medicinally and botanically, but formally described by Linnaeus' in his "Species Plantarum" (1753). The genus is generally considered to have about ten sections with approximately 50 species. The number of species has varied, depending on how they are classified, due to similarity between species and hybridisation. The genus arose some time in the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene epochs, in the Iberian peninsula and adjacent areas of southwest Europe.

The exact origin of the name Narcissus is unknown, but it is often linked to a Greek word for intoxicated (narcotic) and the myth of the youth of that name who fell in love with his own reflection. The English word 'daffodil' appears to be derived from "asphodel", with which it was commonly compared.

The species are native to meadows and woods in southwest Europe and North Africa with a centre of diversity in the Western Mediterranean, particularly the Iberian peninsula. Both wild and cultivated plants have naturalised widely, and were introduced into the Far East prior to the tenth century. Narcissi tend to be long-lived bulbs, which propagate by division, but are also insect-pollinated. Known pests, diseases and disorders include viruses, fungi, the larvae of flies, mites and nematodes. Some Narcissus species have become extinct, while others are threatened by increasing urbanisation and tourism.

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Thursday, 22 September 2016

Sparaxis (harlequin flower) is a genus in the family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All are perennials that grow during the wet winter season, flower in spring and survive underground as dormant corms over summer. Their conspicuous flowers have six tepals, which in most species are equal in size and shape. The genus name is derived from the Greek word sparasso, meaning "to tear", and alludes to the shape of the floral bracts.Sparaxis tricolor, known by the common names wandflower, harlequin flower, and sparaxis, is a bulb-forming perennial plant that grows in well-drained sunny soil. It gained its name from its colourful flowers which are bi- or tri-coloured with a golden centre and a small ring of brown surrounded by another colour. Although the plant is native to southern Africa. It is present in California and Australia as an introduced species after having escaped from garden cultivation.

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Thursday, 15 September 2016

Dieffenbachia is a genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Araceae. It is native to the New World Tropics from Mexico and the West Indies south to Argentina. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental, especially as a house plant, and has become naturalised on a few tropical islands. Dieffenbachia prefers medium sunlight, moderately dry soil and average home temperatures of 17–27 °C. Indoors it should be watered about twice a week.

Dieffenbachia is a perennial herbaceous plant with straight stem, simple and alternate leaves containing white spots and flecks, making it attractive as indoor foliage. Species in this genus are popular as houseplants because of their tolerance of shade. The flowers are green/white and have the typical spathe of arums. The common name, "dumb canes" refers to the poisoning effect of raphides, which can cause temporary inability to speak.

Dieffenbachia was named by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott, director of the Botanical Gardens in Vienna to honour his head gardener Joseph Dieffenbach (1796–1863).

With a minimum temperature tolerance of +5 °C, Dieffenbachia must be grown indoors in temperate areas. They need light, but filtered sunlight through a window is usually sufficient. They also need moderately moist soil, which should be regularly fertilised with a proprietary houseplant fertiliser. Leaves will periodically roll up and fall off to make way for new leaves. Yellowing of the leaves is generally a sign of problematic conditions, such as a nutrient deficiency in the soil. Dieffenbachia respond well to hot temperatures and dry climates.

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Thursday, 8 September 2016

Camellia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number. The genus was named by Linnaeus after the Jesuit botanist Georg Joseph Kamel, who worked in the Philippines, though he never described a camellia.

This genus is famous throughout East Asia; camellias are known as cháhuā (茶花) in Chinese, "tea flower", an apt designation, as tsubaki (椿) in Japanese, as dongbaek-kkot (동백꽃) in Korean and as hoa trà or hoa chè in Vietnamese. Of economic importance in the Indian subcontinent and Asia, leaves of C. sinensis are processed to create the popular beverage, tea. The ornamental Camellia japonica, Camellia oleifera and Camellia sasanqua and their hybrids are represented in cultivation by a large number of cultivars.

The flower below is the Camellia japonica 'Margaret Davis' variety, Australian Registration No.54. It has received the “William Hertrich Award”, 1969; the “Sewell Mutant Award”, 1976 and the “William E. Woodroof, Hall of Fame Award”, 1979. Chinese synonym: ‘Kuancaidai’.

Margaret Davis was born Margaret E G Reardon in 1908, her birth registered at Katoomba, New South Wales. She married Arthur Davis in 1929 at Vaucluse. She was the second woman to hold a pilot’s licence in Australia (Nancy Bird Walton was the first and she also had a camellia named after her!)

Margaret Davis wrote several gardening books – 'Living Flower Arrangements' in 1971; 'Gardening in Pots' 1973, and 'Balcony, Terrace and Patio Gardens' in 1997. The movement that eventually became The Garden Club of Australia Inc. was founded at a meeting called by Margaret Davis at Red Cross House Sydney. Most of the thirty or so people who attended this meeting had worked together for the previous six years organising a Sydney version of the Chelsea Flower Show to raise funds for the Red Cross.

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Thursday, 1 September 2016

Clivia is a genus of monocot flowering plants native to southern Africa. They are from the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. Common names are Natal lily or bush lily. They are herbaceous evergreen plants, with green, strap-like leaves. Individual flowers are more or less bell-shaped, occurring in umbels on a stalk above the foliage; colours typically range from yellow through orange to red. Many cultivars exist, some with variegated leaf patterns. Species of Clivia are found only in South Africa and Swaziland. They are typically forest undergrowth plants, adapted to low light (with the exception of C. mirabilis from the Western Cape).Clivia miniata grows into large clumps and is surprisingly water wise. It is also reportedly naturalised in Mexico. It is a popular plant for shady areas and is commonly seen growing in older established suburbs in most Australian states. It is also popular in New Zealand, Japan, China and southern parts of the USA , particularly California. It grows to a height of about 45 cm, and various varieties have flowers that are red, orange or yellow, sometimes with a faint, but very sweet perfume.Shown here is the 'Miniata Sahin Twin' cultivar. They are called Twins as they often flower twice per year, once in Autumn and then again in Spring. It is a low growing, broadleaf variety, ideal for growing on a patio, used as a tub specimen or planting in the ground in a shady position. This variety will grow to a height of 45 cm and 70 cm wide. Their orange clustered flowers are heavy bloomers and are followed by attractive, red, berry-like fruit. Sahin Twin are considered as one of the appealing orange flowering clivias in the world. It is an ideal plant for a shady area or can be used as a indoor plant.

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Thursday, 25 August 2016

The almond (Prunus dulcis, syn. Prunus amygdalus) is a species of tree in the Rosaceae family, native to the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent and North Africa. "Almond" is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus Prunus, it is classified with the peach in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated shell (endocarp) surrounding the seed.

The fruit of the almond is a drupe, consisting of an outer hull and a hard shell with the seed, which is not a true nut, inside. Shelling almonds refers to removing the shell to reveal the seed. Almonds are sold shelled or unshelled. Blanched almonds are shelled almonds that have been treated with hot water to soften the seedcoat, which is then removed to reveal the white embryo.

The almond is a deciduous tree, growing 4–10 m in height, with a trunk of up to 30 cm in diameter. The young twigs are green at first, becoming purplish where exposed to sunlight, then grey in their second year. The leaves are 5 -10 long, with a serrated margin and a 2.5 cm petiole.

The flowers are white to pale pink, 3–5 cm diameter with five petals, produced singly or in pairs and appearing before the leaves in late winter to early spring. Almond grows best in Mediterranean climates with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The optimal temperature for their growth is between 15 and 30 °C and the tree buds have a chilling requirement of 300 to 600 hours below 7.2 °C to break dormancy. Almonds begin bearing an economic crop in the third year after planting. Trees reach full bearing five to six years after planting. The fruit matures in the autumn, 7–8 months after flowering.

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Thursday, 18 August 2016

Hebe is a genus of plants native to New Zealand, Rapa in French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands, and South America. It includes about 90 species and is the largest plant genus in New Zealand. Apart from H. rapensis (endemic to Rapa), all species occur in New Zealand. This includes the two species, H. salicifolia and H. elliptica, that have distributions extending to South America.The genus is named after the Greek goddess of youth, Hebe. There are differing classifications for the genus and some botanists include Hebe, together with the related Australasian genera Chionohebe, Derwentia, Detzneria, Parahebe, Heliohebe and Leonohebe, in the larger genus Veronica (hence its common name 'Shrubby veronica').Hebe has four perpendicular rows of leaves in opposite decussate pairs. The flowers are perfect, the corolla usually has four slightly unequal lobes, the flower has two stamens and a long style. Flowers are arranged in a spiked inflorescence. Identification of Hebe species is difficult, especially if they are not in flower.The plants range in size from dwarf shrubs to small trees up to 7 metres, and are distributed from coastal to alpine ecosystems. Large-leaved species are normally found on the coast, in lowland scrub and along forest margins. At higher altitudes smaller-leaved species grow, and in alpine areas there are whipcord species with leaves reduced to thick scales.Hebes are grown in many gardens and public areas; they attract butterflies. Hebes cope with most soil types, and can be propagated easily from both seed and cuttings. Wild Hebe hybrids are uncommon; however, there are many cultivated hybrids, such as Hebe × franciscana 'Blue Gem', shown here.

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Thursday, 11 August 2016

Rhodanthe, also known as sunray or pink paper daisy, is a genus of Australian plants in the pussy's-toes tribe within the daisy family, Asteraceae. The name Rhodanthe is derived from Greek rhodon, rose and anthos, flower. Many Rhodanthe species were formerly classed under different genera, including Helipterum, Podotheca, Acroclinium and Waitzia.Rhodanthe chlorocephala subspecies rosea (shown here) is the most widely grown subspecies and is commonly known as “Pink and White Everlasting”, “Rosy Sunray”, “Pink Paper-daisy” and “Rosy Everlasting”. It grows naturally in the south of Western Australia extending into South Australia. Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. rosea is an erect annual herb 20-60cm high with clumps of glabrous (hairless) grey-green stems and leaves 1-6cm in length. It has a large single flowering head at the tip of each stem. Flower heads grow to 6cm diameter, gradually decreasing as the flowering season progresses.The colour of the bracts varies from deep pink (almost red) through pale pink to pure white, with a yellow or black centre. Stems branch early in the season. You can encourage this habit (to create more blossoms) by pinching out the growing tips. Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. rosea is adaptable and ephemeral, springing up whenever conditions are right e.g. during warm, sunny weeks anytime of the year. It prefers full sun to dappled shade and grows well in open woodland. Grown in full shade it tends to be long and spindly.It thrives in well-drained sandy soils and tends to be smaller when grown in heavy, clay soils. It generally flowers from August to November in the wild but with sufficient water and warmth it will flower at other times. It flowers 10 to 12 weeks after germination and the flowers last a good two weeks. The flowering period lasts 4 to 10 weeks. Fruit appear approximately 4 weeks after flowering.

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Thursday, 4 August 2016

Aloe maculata (synonym Aloe saponaria; commonly known as the soap aloe or zebra aloe) is a Southern African species of aloe in the Asphodelaceae family. Local people in South Africa know it informally as the "Bontaalwyn" in Afrikaans, or "Lekhala" in the Sesotho language.It is a very variable species and hybridises easily with other similar aloes, sometimes making it difficult to identify. The leaves range in colour from red to green, but always have distinctive "H-shaped" spots. The flowers are similarly variable in colour, ranging from bright red to yellow, but are always bunched in a distinctively flat-topped raceme. The inflorescence is borne on the top of a tall, multi-branched stalk and the seeds are reputedly poisonous.This species was previously known as Aloe saponaria (a name that came from the Latin "sapo" meaning soap, as the sap makes a soapy lather in water - the juice from the leaves is traditionally used as soap by indigenous people). Its currently accepted name, according to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), is Aloe maculata ("maculata" means speckled or marked). Taxonomically, it forms part of the Saponariae series of very closely related Aloe species, together with Aloe petrophila, Aloe umfoloziensis, Aloe greatheadii and Aloe davyana.The Soap Aloe is highly adaptable and is naturally found in a wide range of habitats across Southern Africa, from Zimbabwe in the north, to the Cape Peninsula in the south. Specifically, it is native to southern and eastern South Africa, south-eastern Botswana and Zimbabwe. In addition, it is now planted around the world as a popular landscape plant in warm desert regions – especially in the United States, where it is the most popular ornamental aloe in the Tucson, Arizona area, and is also popular in California.

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Thursday, 28 July 2016

The genus Aeonium includes at least 35 species of tender, rosetted, leaf succulents mainly from the Canary Islands but also found in Madeira, Morocco and Ethiopia. These succulent plants vary in size from small herbs almost flat against the ground to woody shrubs with stout basal stems supporting one or more disc-shaped rosettes, giving them a distinctive appearance. The generic name comes from the Greek "aionion" = everliving.Flowers are panicles of numerous small yellow or white florets. Some Aeonium species are monocarpic. Natural hybrids are common and there are many attractive horticultural hybrids and cutivars. The sap of Aeonium lindleyi is a traditional antidote to the toxic sap of Euphorbias e.g. E. canariensis. Aeonium includes the former genera Greenonium and Greenovia (Mountain Roses), which may be seen occasionally on plant labels and in old books. Many species were originally classified as Sempervivums.Aeonium undulatum, shown here, is a succulent, evergreen subshrub, is one of the larger species of Aeonium with the rosette often over a metre from the ground on a single stem. Other rosettes do not branch off this stem (normally) but grow from the bottom, unlike most aeoniums. The plant is monocarpic so the flowering stem will die when it flowers which is normally after about 5 years. The specific epithet undulatum comes from the Latin unda, meaning "wave" and refers to the wavy leaves. Synonyms include Sempervivum undulatum and Sempervivum youngianum. The common name "saucer plant" is applied to this and other plants of a similar habit. In temperate regions this plant is grown under glass. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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Thursday, 21 July 2016

Eucalyptus caesia, commonly known as Caesia, Gungurru or Silver Princess, is a mallee of the Eucalyptus genus. It is endemic to the central Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, where it is found on a small number of granite outcrops. The name "silver" refers to the white powder that covers the branches, flower buds and fruit. "Gungurru" comes from the name used by the indigenous Noongar people.

Two subspecies have been identified: caesia (about 6–9 metres tall) and magna (up to 15 metres tall). The bark is red-brown, of the curly minni ritchi type. Branches tend to flail or weep on the ground. Trees have large red-pink or white flowers, 40-50mm in diameter. They are widely grown as ornamental native plants, but have become rare in the wild.

Eucalyptus caesia was named in 1867 by George Bentham from specimens collected by James Drummond in 1847. Drummond made his collection too late in the season to gather buds and flowers, and this made later identification difficult. During the Elder Scientific Exploring Expedition of 1891–2, Richard Helms gathered specimens of a Eucalyptus that the Indigenous Australians of the area called "Gungurru".

This was almost certainly Eucalyptus woodwardii, but in 1896 it was misidentified by Mueller and Tate as E. caesia. This led to the incorrect application of the common name "Gungurru" to E. caesia, and to confusion about the species' distribution. Authenticated collections of E. caesia were later made by A. Morrison in 1885, and in 1923 Charles Gardner collected specimens from a form with considerably larger leaves, buds, flowers and fruits. This was later recognised as subspecies magna by Brooker and Hopper (1982), with the original form being designated subspecies caesia.

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Thursday, 14 July 2016

Cirsium vulgare (spear thistle) is a species of the genus Cirsium, in the family Asteraceae, native throughout most of Europe (north to 66°N, locally 68°N), Western Asia (east to the Yenisei Valley), and northwestern Africa (Atlas Mountains). It is also naturalised in North America, Africa, and Australia and is as an invasive weed in some areas. It is the national flower of Scotland.

It is a tall biennial or short-lived monocarpic thistle, forming a rosette of leaves and a taproot up to 70 cm long in the first year, and a flowering stem 1–1.5 m tall in the second (rarely third or fourth) year. The stem is winged, with numerous longitudinal spine-tipped wings along its full length. The leaves are stoutly spined, grey-green, deeply lobed; the basal leaves up to 15–25 cm long, with smaller leaves on the upper part of the flower stem; the leaf lobes are spear-shaped (from which the English name derives). The inflorescence is 2.5–5 cm diameter, pink-purple, with all the florets of similar form (no division into disc and ray florets). The seeds are 5 mm long, with a downy pappus, which assists in wind dispersal. As in other species of Cirsium (but unlike species in the related genus Carduus), the pappus hairs are feathery with fine side hairs.

Spear thistle is often a ruderal species, colonising bare disturbed ground, but also persists well on heavily grazed land as it is unpalatable to most grazing animals. Nitrogen-rich soils help increase its proliferation. The flowers are a rich nectar source used by numerous pollinating insects, including honey bees, wool-carder bees, and many butterflies.

The seeds are eaten by goldfinches, linnets and greenfinches. The seeds are dispersed by wind, mud, water, and possibly also by ants; they do not show significant long-term dormancy, most germinating soon after dispersal and only a few lasting up to four years in the soil seed bank. Seed is also often spread by human activity such as hay bales.

Spear thistle is designated an "injurious weed" under the UK Weeds Act 1959, and a noxious weed in Australia and in nine US states. Spread is only by seed, not by root fragments as in the related creeping thistle C. arvense. It is best cleared from land by hoeing and deep cutting of the taproot before seeds mature; regular cultivation also prevents its establishment.

The stems can be peeled and then steamed or boiled. The tap roots can be eaten raw or cooked, but are only palatable on young thistles that have not flowered yet.

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